Preparing for emergencies at the Tate

Living in the Pacific Northwest, when we are urged to prepare for emergencies, we immediately think of the threat of The Big One, the Cascadia Fault megaquake. But there are many levels of emergencies and disasters that we should be prepared for.

Individual emergency

An individual emergency is an event in which a resident needs outside help, such as an ambulance and EMTs. Such events are primarily the responsibility of the individual.

EMTs tell us that if you are unsure if your situation is serious enough to call 911, call them anyway because they will be better able than you to make that decision.

Fire

A second kind of individual emergency would be a fire in your unit. It could be that cooking or accidental ignition of some papers activates the smoke alarm in your unit. Our suggestion is that you immediately open your windows and take steps to put out the fire, but do not open your door to the corridor. If the smoke alarm is only in your unit, opening your door too quickly will allow smoke to get into the corridor and set off the building fire alarm.

If there’s no obvious source of smoke in your unit and you hear the alarm, then you can safely peer into the corridor to hear and see if the building fire alarm has gone off. In that case, you should hasten to evacuate the building and gather outside. If the fire alarm is activated, you will not be able to use the elevators. If you or people in your corridor will need help on the stairs, you should have a plan in place for exiting the building.

If there’s a sizable fire in your unit, you should get out quickly. This suggests having your coats and mobility aids easily available.

A shared emergency is a situation in which several or all units must cooperate, such as a serious fire in one or more units. If you exit the building during a fire emergency, leave your unit’s door unlocked. Otherwise, the fire department may have to break it down to check whether you’re in there or whether there’s any fire there.

If there is a large fire in the building and you can’t get out because of mobility issues or damage to the corridors, you should await rescue on your unit’s balcony or in the building’s stairwells.

Water (flood, leak)

Another shared emergency is a serious water leak that threatens to flood your unit and spread downstairs. Prompt action is important.The building has some tools for such events: leak pads and a shop vac, which are stored in Room 13 in the garage near the mail room door. The Laurel Fisher Gallery will serve as the communication center and gathering point during any emergency.

Prolonged emergency

A prolonged emergency, or a community-wide disaster is a situation in which something, (a storm, earthquake, flood, or sabotage) has caused an interruption of building services, You can’t obtain power, transportation, water, phone, or garbage and sewer services, but the building is still habitable, and there is no transportation or no easily available alternative lodging. This might happen in an earthquake or civic disturbance. In this case you will need to be prepared to stay in the unit for some days or weeks, being responsible for your own food, water, and sanitation.

This kind of emergency that can last for an extended period of time is more likely here than is the total collapse of the building. Therefore, you need to be prepared to supply things for yourself until services are restored, which could be weeks. You need beforehand to have found storage for water, food, and sanitation bags, for everyone in your family and your pets. Your most immediate source of help will be the preparations you have made beforehand.

Responding as a Community

Determining whether we shelter in place or evacuate depends on the nature of the disaster. If the event affects more than the Tate, local officials will advise on evacuation and provide route and destination information.

While planning for a disaster includes our response as a community, it remains the responsibility of individual residents to plan for such requirements as physical assistance, pet care, personal papers, medical identification, food, water, and medicines.

Team members will not be identified in advance; team formation will depend on who is available on-site in the Common Room. Instructions and tools will be available to those responders in a grey box labeled “Emergency Kit” kept on the second shelf of a bookcase located on the left side of Storage Unit 13. The key to your personal unit will unlock Storage Unit 13 located second on the right after exiting the mailroom area to the garage. The Emergency Kit contains useful tools and supplies and a description of the procedures the three teams need to follow. It also contains photos of the utility shut-offs, keys to the Mechanical Room and Trash Room, a first aid kit and a hand crank AM/FM radio.

This document will show how to prepare a lightweight, small kit to take if you must evacuate. Also listed is what you will need to shelter in place on your own. We also have abbreviated instructions for what to do in various emergency situations. A longer version of the instructions can be found online as can a document about emergency preparations for your pets.

One thing you should do to prepare is obtain a list of all residents, unit numbers, with any special needs of residents. And you should have copies of a list of your personal emergency contacts.

Below you will find a compact listing of things to have on hand and recent instructions about what to do in different situations.

Critical Supplies to Maintain

Bedside Emergency Kit

  • Sturdy closed-toe shoe
  • Work gloves
  • Flashlight and/or headlamp with fresh batteries
  • Hard hat or bicycle helmet
  • Essential medications
  • Emergency contact list
  • Whistle
  • Important documents in a waterproof container

Two-Week Home Supply Kit

Water: 1 gallon per person/pet per day (14 gallons each) If the water system isn’t working, you can obtain two gallons ofater daily per person at the emergency water distribution center at the Lane County Fairgrounds. It is operating only if the city water system isn’t. Bring your own containers.

  • Shelf-stable food (no-cook options preferred)
  • Battery-powered or hand-crank NOAA weather radio
    • The emergency radio stations in our area are:
    • KPNW, 1120AM
    • KUGN, 590AM
    • KLCC, 89.7FM
  • Backup cell phone battery/charger
  • First aid kit
  • Manual can opener
  • Sanitation supplies (toilet paper, garbage bags, wet wipes)
  • Medications (2-week supply)
  • Pet supplies if needed
  • Cash in small bills
  • Important documents in waterproof container
  • Sleeping bags or warm blankets
  • Basic tool kit
  • Duct tape and plastic sheeting
  • 50-foot nylon rope
  • Multi-tool or Swiss Army knife

Essential Skills to Develop

  • Basic first aid and CPR
  • Locate and learn how to shut off utilities (gas, water, electricity)
  • Fire extinguisher operation
  • Basic emergency communication protocols
  • Evacuation procedures and routes
  • Basic emergency food and water storage
  • How to use emergency radio equipmen

 

If Disaster Strikes

Immediate Response (First 5 Minutes)

  • Check for injuries to yourself or others
  • Put on protective gear
  • Check immediate surroundings for hazards
  • Quick Actions (Next 10 Minutes)
  • Turn off gas if you smell it
  • Place OK/HELP sign on door
  • Access emergency kit
  • DO NOT use elevators
  • If safe, send one person to Laurel Fisher Gallery

Communications

  • Text instead of call
  • Monitor emergency radio
  • Follow instructions from officials
  • Check to see if neighbors are safe
  • Document the conditions you see

 

Shelter vs. Evacuate

  • Wait for official guidance
  • Follow building emergency team instructions
  • Use pre-planned evacuation routes if leaving
  • Help neighbors with mobility issues

Remember: The most likely scenario is an extended disruption of services rather than the building collapsing. Prepare to be self-sufficient for at least two weeks.

A more comprehensive collection of these action points can be downloaded here (including suggestions about preparing your family pet for disasters).